Thanks to EW for reminding me about our conversation (around the time the site went out) to change our avatars for Halloween! If you want to participate in our "seasonal decorating", I'll be happy to help you in any way that I can. You are all welcome to use any of my Halloween pics, too, if you'd like. WOOHOO! I love this time of year! (I am such a kid)

Okay, my choice might not have a blatant Gatch connection, but there is a symbolic link. Contrary to Hollywood, the Death Card in a Tarot deck doesn't mean somebody's going to die (though it would work with Gatch); it actually means "change" -- which certainly applies to the Eagle and the Condor through the course through all 3 series!

There is a point where too much change is not good. Some people only have so much flexibility - me included.

You know, I totally forgot about this, because it's been so long that we couldn't change avatars! I'll have to come up with something... ETA I found an oldie (but a goodie) !

Originally posted by Transmute Jun You know, I totally forgot about this, because it's been so long that we couldn't change avatars! I'll have to come up with something... ETA I found an oldie (but a goodie) !

TJ that's hysterical! Is that a Katse figure I see in the background?

I too had forgotten we once again have the ability to change avatars! Thank you for the reminder!

Originally posted by Redbird TJ that's hysterical! Is that a Katse figure I see in the background?

Yep, and he's tied up with Jun's yo-yo.

And Big Red on the ground while G1 points missiles at him.

I'm enjoying all of the new avatars! TJ, I had forgotten about that one! LOL! LB, Zombie Joe is hilarious!!!

Another thumbs up for Zombie Joe!

That's awesome! As are all the others!

I really want to make a "sparkly vampire" Ken, now...LOL!

I'm enjoying all the new avatars, and realizing how much I missed being able to change them for holidays. We'll have to do another one of those "change clans for 1 week" things, one of these days! I got curious enough about the technical challenge of creating "sparkle" with Photoshop and ImageReady to make an attempt with an old manip of a Ken pic. Not entirely satisfied with the "sparkle" result -I probably should have made more frames- but experimenting is fun. Yesterday I'd tried to make my avatar animated, but gave up when I couldn't get anything even close to below the 25 kb size limit without extremely degrading the image res.

Originally posted by lborgia88 I'm enjoying all the new avatars, and realizing how much I missed being able to change them for holidays. We'll have to do another one of those "change clans for 1 week" things, one of these days! I got curious enough about the technical challenge of creating "sparkle" with Photoshop and ImageReady to make an attempt with an old manip of a Ken pic. d have made more frames- but experimenting is fun. Yesterday I'd tried to make my avatar animated, but gave up when I couldn't get anything even close to below the 25 kb size limit without extremely degrading the image res.

Wow, the Zombie Joe is really creepy animated....cool! I can see it now: "Err...Joe, you're not looking too good. A bit green around the gills. Did you eat Jun's cooking or something?"

Hahahahaha! Perfect, LB!!! Love the animated Zombie Joe, too!!

LOL, I'm loving Vampire Ken and Zombie Joe!

I did a note earlier but must have failed to post it. I think vampires are out now and zombies and the apocalypse are in. Haven't seen a good vampire book in a while. Ken's blue eyes do lend themselves to the hypnotic control vampires are supposed to have.

I love the animated zombie Joe one! Well done, LB! Becky ... you're right about Ken's blue, hypnotic eyes! You've got me comparing them with those of Ian Somerhalder, who plays the part of Damon in the "Vampire Diaries", if you might know the series! He has a way widening them more when he'd be in the act of hypnotising someone! ... just gorgeous! I'm eager to be able to watch the new series!

Here's a thought -- we already have Vampire Ken and Zombie Joe, so why not have the rest of the team as monsters as well? Maybe Ryu as Frankenstein's monster, Jun as a mummy, and Jenpei as a demon child?

Originally posted by Becky Rock I think vampires are out now and zombies and the apocalypse are in. Haven't seen a good vampire book in a while.

You can blame both Anne Rice becoming "born again" and the over-saturation of the Twilight series.

I generally don't get into the YA series, except for the Mortal Instruments series. It surprised me that the movie City of Bones didn't do well.

I read the City of Bones book, and saw the Mortal Instruments panel at WonderCon, which featured Cassandra Clare and the main actors. Frankly, the bits they showed of the film and the selection of the actors did not impress me, which is why I never bothered to see the movie. The same thing happened to me with the Beautiful Creatures movie. I suspect they were just poor adaptations of the story, as with the Percy Jackson film.

I didn't go to the movie either. For one thing, Clary is a redhead and the actress wasn't and the actor they chose for Jace just didn't match my vision of him. I might get the DVD. Will have to see. Just like the actor they chose for Joe in the live action movie didn't impress me. Joe's not Asian - I'm sorry, but they just changed the story too much.

Thank God I found this thread! I wondered what had gotten into LB to do that to Joe in her avatar!

Hope everyone has a good Halloween! I plan on "testing" my daughter's candy tonight. You know, just to make sure it is ok...

I like Sosai X's face superimposed on the moon! Heh, heh. Have fun being the "official candy tester" Springie! Good to see you here!

Wow, great pic Springie. Halloween is practically over for us this year. Everyone had a fun, safe evening. The boy came home with a bucketful of sweets, and we've got some leftover chocolate, which I'm claiming for myself..... Now that's what I call a result!!

Wow, for you, Halloween is over, and for us, we're still waiting for it to get dark! But we had a bonus today, going to the comic book store for Halloween ComicsFest. And I found a couple of Keyop action figures in their back room! Too funny!

Sounds like you had fun, TJ! Did you buy the Keyops? Comic stores on Halloween make me think of Big Bang Theory- was there a costume competition? My daughter had a fun Halloween- her two best friends came over and one of the moms and I took them Trick-or-Treating. The neighborhood was packed with kids and some of the houses went "all-out" with the decorations. Afterward, the girls sat around in our living room trading candy and watching "The Nightmare Before Christmas". My son wasn't interested in Halloween at all this year...it was kind of sad not having him join in the fun!

Originally posted by Redbird Good to see you here!

Thanks, Red! It has been a rough couple of weeks and I'm still trying to get our new pooch to feel better. I've been to the vet twice.

I think the apocalypse books are due to so many people thinking the world is going to pot.

Originally posted by Springie Sounds like you had fun, TJ! Did you buy the Keyops? Comic stores on Halloween make me think of Big Bang Theory- was there a costume competition?

No, they were one I already had: the Diamond Select action figure with Keyop in his helmet. There was no 'costume contest', but if the kids were wearing a costume (mine were, since they had worn one to school and I took them right after) they got free comic books as the 'trick or treat'.

My daughter had a fun Halloween- her two best friends came over and one of the moms and I took them Trick-or-Treating. The neighborhood was packed with kids and some of the houses went "all-out" with the decorations. Afterward, the girls sat around in our living room trading candy and watching "The Nightmare Before Christmas". My son wasn't interested in Halloween at all this year...it was kind of sad not having him join in the fun!

It seems like she really enjoyed herself! I'm sorry your son didn't have a party or event to go to. Maybe next year, when Halloween is on a Friday, you can organize a party or something through his school. FWIW, my daughter was all over trick or treating, and was determined to get as much free candy as she could! And she ran into other kids she knew at middle school while she was out doing it! Glad you were able to enjoy yourself too.

Hope your teeth are all brushed well, by now, especially yours, Springie!! I'm so glad to hear that you were able to enjoy Halloween despite the bad timing, and I also hope that the visits to the vet have diminished, if not hopefully ended. Halloween has not boomed to its full potential in our country, but as years go by, the trend is getting bigger at a large pace! Unfortunately, we couldn't join the increasing fun, this year, as my son was admitted to hospital the Wednesday before, and we had to stay there for three, sleepless days. He ended up with a badly broken arm and with multiple bone fractures just during the last five minutes of a football game he was playing. Thanks God that I were there at the time of the accident, as I have been able to rush him to the emergency unit without any delay! I kind of am a bit proud of myself for not having fainted instead at the sight of his arm twisting out of shape, and his flesh being sucked into the cavity of the collapsed bone! At first, I thought that they would just have had his arm plastered and send him home after that, but it turned out that they had to put him under general anesthesia in order to jolt it into place. Thankfully, no wires were needed! After another overnight stay at the hospital, following the procedure, he was finally sent home with a full plastered arm, starting from under his armpit downwards, and with his major bone not having been straightened to the right point, yet! Another two weeks in full plaster, then another two in half plaster, and then we'll see!

Oh, Marie, I'm so sorry to hear about your son! I hope he mends quickly!

Oh no! Marie, I hope he heals soon! You may recall that my son had his wrist broken last year and that was painful for us to deal with, but I can't imagine an entire arm and overnight stays at the hospital! I know you are an awesome Mom and I'm sure your son was very happy and grateful to have you there with him during the entire ordeal.

Marie, I sympathize since my son plays football. How did it happen? My son is now an offensive right tackle. About the worst they get is an ankle roll, but it seems almost every game, one of our players or one of the opponents is getting hurt. I hope he heals up well and is back to playing next year.

OMG! Marie- how scary! My daughter broke her arm after falling out of the dining room chair when she was about 3 years old. It scared me to death when I looked at her disfigured arm! I'm so glad that your son is ok, and that you made it through the ordeal ok, too!

Goodness, Marie---I'm sorry to hear about your son! I hope he's on the mend very soon!

Yikes marie! I think no one would have blamed you if you got woozy, but I can see wanting to hold it together for your son, for sure.

Many thanks for all your kind and comforting words, guys! I appreciate a lot! TJ ... oh, yes ... I do remember, and I also do remember how rightfully worried you have also been! I always say that it's better if things were to happen to me instead of seeing them happening to my kids ... I think that's what being a Mum means ... but, I'm always thankful that, when they do happen, they'd be things which could be mended, as I cannot imagine anything else, especially when hearing so many, heartbreaking stories happening around us! I try to be the best I can for them, but then I'm always saying that I could do or could have done more! You've also hit the nail on its head with your last comment, as when my son had come to know that he had to stay at the hospital for the night, him always being scared of needles and of being left alone, the first thing that he told me when I had assured him that I'd definitely stay by his side the whole time was a hearty, teary "Thank you, Mum!"! Springie ... oh, gosh! I can imagine how much scary that scene of your daughter should have been, especially at such a tender age! You never know how kids could hurt themselves, couldn't you?! LOL ... I thought I could have gotten used to seeing such things, as around two years ago my same son had also broken his shoulder whilst playing! But, I think I was wrong! Seeing such things is never a joyful ride! Becky ... before the accident had taken place, all us parents were a bit uncomfortable with the idea of our coaches having made our kids play with a team of a foreign club composed of players who were all around two years older than ours. My son is already of a small build, but two years can make a lot of difference, too! The advantage that my son has is his agility, though, and that he's left handed (he fortunately broke his right!), having the ability to use better his left part of his body together with his right part when playing football. In fact, they were really playing a good game, albeit the age difference, and my son had been going up and down the ground incessantly, his coach usually allocating him as a left winger, using him both for attack and defense when needed. What happened was this ... as my son tried an efficient but fair tackle to take the ball from the biggest boy of the other team, this other boy fell over him with all his weight, hence crushing my son's arm! Believe me if I tell you that, amongst the whole turmoil a football ground could have, the only thing that I heard was my son's excrutiating shriek, which cut through my heart! Then I saw the way his arm had twisted under him, and that was it! When at hospital, my son told me that what had hurt him the most had been the other boy's attitude ... when he saw my son crying with pain next to him, instead of helping or comforting him, he told him that he shouldn't have tried to take the ball away from him and that he deserved it and walked away! Can you imagine the attitude! If I had known this before I really don't know what I could have done! That, and the way in which I had seen the scene unfolding, made us think that it had been done on purpose! I'm still a bit angry .... I cannot imagine or tolerate such attitude, and then from an eleven-year-old boy! EW, RB, and CW ... thanks! I think the wooziness came out afterwards, as I've not been feeling well ever since we returned home! Well ... I've already been dealing with one of my bouts before this happened, so I think that after the adrenaline rush to be there for him, and after being in that horrible place called "hospital" for the nth time, everything took the toll over me! In fact, I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I have had the chance to try and catch up with you all, since I cannot stay without you :p , when yesterday I had to stay some time in bed, something which ticks me off a bit, as I don't like bed a lot during day time! At least, I could enjoy your company once again! You're all true and precious friends!

Catching up is the silver lining. You might want to talk to the coach about the other player. There might not be anything that can be done, proving something was on purpose can be difficult but it might make the coach hesitate more before playing that team again.

That's right, CW! We have already talked to our coaches about the happening, not specifically directing a thumb towards that particular boy to avoid unnecessary complications, and there's nothing that could be done, as there's no proof ... they were playing ... and as the other boy is with another club, out of their jurisdiction. Plus, we don't wish to fuss too much over such things for our own son's sake, as only God knows how much more persons with such an attitude he still has to meet in the future! And, since he didn't make a great deal out of it himself, albeit his sensitive character, we thought it best to let things sleep as they are! They might reconsider making our boys play with others of a considerably bigger stature, though. They told us that these are things that happen, which we know they can, especially when our son doesn't want to know about quitting the sport! He so maturely told me that you don't have to play football to break a bone! ... and, he's right on that!

Our football is run through the high school system. If players say anything uncalled for that is heard by a referee, an unsportsman-like conduct call is made. Since it is run through the schools, the players are separated by age. Freshman are freshmen who are 14-15, junior varsity is mostly sophomores who are 15-16 with a few juniors who are 17 that didn't make Varsity. Varsity is seniors who are 17-18 and a few juniors that are very good. Depending on the age, 2 years can be a big difference. The other young man will have his head handed to him by someone at some point with that attitude. Marie. I hope your son's arm heals well.